


Prompt

by breathedeep222



Category: The Black Tapes Podcast
Genre: Angst, Death, F/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-22
Updated: 2016-01-22
Packaged: 2018-05-15 11:43:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5784124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breathedeep222/pseuds/breathedeep222
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone gave me the prompt to write about a character dying in the others arms so here we are</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prompt

The noise finally stopped. That deep, inhuman grumbling that was simultaneously a shriek. It was an expression of pain, the pain of something not of this world. The overwhelming darkness retreated along with it and suddenly the forest was itself again. Still dark, but slightly illuminated by the moonlight. Alex tried to get her bearings. She was disoriented, sitting in the dirt on the edge of the clearing, the weird symbols drawn in the earth stretching in front of her. That’s when she noticed the dark shape in the middle of the clearing.

“Richard!”

Alex scrambled up and ran toward the shape. Her body was aching, pain pulsing in her ankle with every step but she didn’t care about any of that, she was only focused on seeing if Strand was okay.

“Oh god, oh god” she muttered on her way. She reached him and could see the large spot of blood covering the front of his white shirt, and his eyes were closed.

“Richard!” She called his name again as she fell on her knees beside him, lifting his head into her lap. Alex had never been more thankful for anything when he opened his eyes.

“Alex?” he asked. His voice sounded so frail, so unlike himself.

“I’m right here,” she told him. She pulled his bloody shirt out of his pants to look at his stomach.

“Did it work?’ He asked her weakly.

“Oh god,” she gasped when she saw his stomach. “Richard we need to get you out of here.”

“Did it work?” he asked more firmly. His persistence gave his voice a hint of his usual personality.

“Yes. Yes it worked. They’re gone. But Richard you-“

“Good,” he said softly, interrupting her. He closed his eyes again and rested his head back against her, a small smile on his face.

“Richard!” Alex shook his head to get his attention. She didn’t like his eyes being closed. “We need to get you out of here! You need help. Do you have your phone?” She started patting down his pockets in search of it, her own long gone.

“Alex stop.” She ignored him, continue searching the ground around her as much as she could without moving. She did end up stopping though, because just then Richard let out a wet, hacking noise. Blood flew from his mouth and landed on his shirt, staining it further.

“No! No no no no.” Alex pulled him closer to her and wiped at the blood at his mouth. “We need to get you help.”

“Ssh Alex,” he said softly. He lifted his hand and place it over the arm wrapped around his chest, his thumb rubbing her skin gently. “We both know I’m not going anywhere.”

Alex wanted to hit him. Fuck him. And fuck his stupid fucking reasoning and logic.

“Please,” she begged, not even sure what she was asking for.

“It’s okay,” Richard reassured her. “It’s all over now. Everyone’s safe.”

“Everyone but you!” She screamed at him. “I never wanted this. I never wanted any of this. I’m so sorry.” She was crying now, she could feel it. The little tickle of salt water that was somehow supposed to be an accurate expression of all she was feeling.

Richard put his hand over the one she was using to cradle his face and she realized he was crying too. “It’s okay,” he repeated. He smiled up at her gently. “You’re so beautiful.”

Alex shook her head wildly. “Stop!” She said. They didn’t have to do this now. They had never done it because it had never been the right time and it wasn’t the right time now. Once they were out of here, and Richard was at the hospital, then they could talk about it.

“So...strong,” was all he said. It came out slower, breathier. The thumb that had been rubbing against her hand had stopped and it was getting harder for him to speak, to breathe. He closed his eyes.

“Richard!” She yelled and shook him again. She should be gentler, a small voice in her head said. But Alex was pissed. They had never gotten a chance to deal with this and now they never would and it was her fault.

Richard’s eyes opened again and it was all Alex could focus on. He wasn’t gone yet. She still had a few precious moments left. She rested her forehead against his.

“You look like crap,” she told him. He chuckled but it was weak and led to another coughing fit, more blood. Alex didn’t even flinch, just wiped it away with her hand and kept talking. “I’m so sorry,” she repeated again. She kept repeating it over and over, kissing down the side of his face.

“It’s…okay…Alex.” She looked down at him. His expression was nothing like she had ever seen from him. His smile was wide and dreamy, carefree. And his eyes, those eyes that had been filled with so much sharpness and intelligence when they first met, were replaced with something foggy, enraptured. Richard found the strength to give her hand one last squeeze and then shut his eyes.

“No!” She shook him again but this time he didn’t respond. “No, no, please. Richard wake up.” Alex shook him even harder, but he didn’t. So now Alex was kneeling, cradling his body, surrounded by the black of the forest, and all alone.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


End file.
